National Park Service preparing to repave Fort Dupont and Fort Davis Drives

WASHINGTON— The National Park Service (NPS) has cleared the last major hurdle before beginning a $4 million complete rehabilitation of Fort Dupont and Fort Davis Drives in Southeast Washington, DC. The Federal Highway Administration, on behalf of the NPS, awarded a construction contract on August 30 to repave the entire roadways and improve stormwater management along the roadways.

“I know many people have been looking forward to this for sometime. Repairing Fort Dupont and Fort Davis Drives has been one of my top priorities since becoming Superintendent,” said Superintendent Tara Morrison. “The project will improve access for everyone in Fort Dupont Park, and will also help us preserve the historic character of the these roads.”

In the coming weeks, the NPS will work to finalize a construction schedule and share that with the public. To minimize inconvenience, we anticipate that the project and associated closures will happen in short segments.

Once work beings, the Ridge Road picnic area and portions of the activity center parking lot will close for the duration of the project. The work will not prevent visitors from accessing the community garden, and the Randall Circle picnic areas will stay open.

As a part of this project, the short Lanham Estates loop road will be converted into a pedestrian trail and we will create an improved parking area for people using the picnic area, visiting the Civil War era earthworks or just enjoying the park.

How to get updates:
As details become available, we are committed to sharing information about the closures with the community, people who drive on these roads and those who come to the park for picnics, hiking and cycling. For more information on the schedule, location and duration of each road closure visit go.nps.gov/fortdrs.

To receive the most immediate and up to date information, sign up for Nixle alerts by texting “fortdrs” to 888777 to get text messages about the project delivered straight to your phone. The service is free, but standard text and message rates may apply.

Why Fort Dupont and Fort Davis are important:
Fort Dupont and Fort Davis were built to defend against potential Confederate attacks on the nation’s capital during the American Civil War. Completed in the spring of 1862, Fort Dupont was named after Samuel F. Dupont, a naval officer who won a significant battle at Port Royal, S.C. in 1861. Fort Davis, completed in 1861, was dedicated to Colonel Benjamin F. Davis, who was killed in combat in 1863. Both forts were abandoned in 1865 after the Civil War ended. In the 1930s, the National Park Service acquired the forts and surrounding land for recreation. Today, popular activities include hiking, biking, running, gardening and the summer concert series.